How the Canadian Armed Forces are helping speed up 3rd dose vaccination in Quebec
CBC
Standing in Decarie Square shopping centre, clad in uniform, Lt.-Col. Dan Doran is right at home.
"I grew up in NDG-Westmount, so this is exactly my area when I was a kid. This is where you came to the mall," said the military reservist.
Now, Doran is the commanding officer in charge of forces deployed in Montreal-area vaccination centres to help with Quebec's third dose vaccination efforts, as the health-care system struggles with rising hospitalizations.
Some 200 members of the armed services have been stationed across the province since Jan. 3.
In December, for a second time since the start of the pandemic in 2020, the Quebec government requested help from the Canadian Armed Forces to better manage COVID-19 in the province amid the Omicron wave.
Troops helped Quebec and other provinces during the first wave of the pandemic when the virus tore through long-term care homes (CHSLDs) and other seniors' centres. Doran was one of those troops.
"This is different than [2020] in that we're not in CHSLDs, we're at vaccination centres," said the commanding officer of the Montreal Territorial Battalion.
"But at the end of the day, the overall mission remains the same, which is to support our community where needed and when needed."
For the past week, troops have been providing support in vaccination centres in several regions including Montreal, Laval and the Eastern Townships to aid with vaccinating as many people in the shortest time period possible.
On Saturday, about 20 soldiers were deployed to two vaccination centres in the Chaudière-Appalaches.
The soldiers are not administering vaccines to the public, but are instead taking care of administrative and logistical tasks to help the centres run smoothly.
"Most of our soldiers are either doing data entry, so supporting the entry of information when people come in to get their vaccine, whether with an appointment or a walk-in," said Doran.
Other soldiers are tasked with general assistance, such as helping those with limited mobility and guiding people through the steps of the vaccination process.
To prepare for deployment, Doran says every participating soldier had to complete online courses offered through Quebec's Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS).